Harms of CT scanning prior to surgery for suspected appendicitis. Issue 1 (27th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rogers, William; Hoffman, Jerome; Noori, Naudereh
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based medicine. Volume 20:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 4
• Publication Date: 2014-11-27
• Subjects: Evidence-based medicine -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1136/ebmed-2014-110075
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1356-5524

Abstract

Abstract : In this brief analysis we compare the risks and benefits of performing a CT scan to confirm appendicitis prior to surgery instead of operating based on the surgeon's clinical diagnosis. We conclude that the benefit of universal imaging is to avoid 12 unnecessary appendectomies but the cost of those 12 avoided surgeries is one cancer death due to the imaging.